best sondheim shows

[laura is broadway]

Posted: 4/24/07 at 5:15pm

obviously, hes one of the best musical theatre composer of all time, and discussed frequently on this board.

but i'm curious as to what your top favorites are?
rather based merely on recordings, or specific productions.

yes, i'm sure this has been addressed before, but i'm not sure what show to pursue next by him being that there are so many.
thankyou ;]

[Unknown User]

Posted: 4/24/07 at 5:33pm

Purely on recordings...

Not technically a full Sondheim but the 1957 WSS is the first *great* stereo cast album IMHO. It still sounds almsot modern and really comes through the speakers.

Company (OBCR) is maybe my fave cast recording of all time--the performances, the orchestrations, Lieberson's production work, and the music of course. It feels so current and yet so 1970 all at the same time. I do wish we had all the Larry Kert tracks as bonuses (or at least Barcelona and Someone is Waiting as well--there's room lazy Sony!)

the Sweeney OBCR I think works in some ways better than the DVD of the later touring production--I love how some aspects are handled like a radio drama and it plays VERY well (speaking of I wish the 1990s National Theatre version whichw as made for a radio adaptation on the BBC would get a CD release--it's a lot of fun).

ASSASSINS original cast (off Broadway) likewise works in someways better than it may have on stage--I love how Starobin took his three piece orchestrations and adapted them to every song, differently, for the score (and I prefer them to the orchestrations eventually made for Broadway even if they're similar) and it just has a great "feel" to it.

I'm a fan of nearly all the OBCRs but those are my tops--at the moment (Honourable mention to Passion which, as much as I think Phil Ramone's past cast labusm pre Passion are often quite poor--Little Shop, OBCR of Chicago--does a brilliant job of taking a score that's really hard to record since it's so intertwined with the dialogue, and making almost a gorgeous "suite' version of the show that runs 30 or so minutes less than it did on stage--lush great additions of extra strings. Sunday is also an interesting recording--Shepperd the producer redid the orchestrations a bit so that the orchestra would get fuller as the painting comes to life--finally to a much higher lushness than the small stage orchestra)

E

[BroadwaySinger2]

Posted: 4/24/07 at 5:47pm

I believe his best works are "Company" and "Sunday in the Park With George" (2 of my all-time favorite shows). Then again, "Follies" is wonderful, too!

[Unknown User]

Posted: 4/24/07 at 5:54pm

Isn't this meant to be best recordings tho?

[laura is broadway]

Posted: 4/24/07 at 6:26pm

yeah recordings might have been a better word.

is anyone else an a little night music fan? if so, is it worth buying the movie?

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 4/24/07 at 6:27pm

Follies
Company
A Funny Thing

[BroadwaySinger2]

Posted: 4/24/07 at 6:29pm

In that case...

The New Recording of Company (with Esparza)
The OBC Recording of Sunday in the Park With George (With Bernadette Peters)

[Unknown User]

Posted: 4/24/07 at 6:37pm

I adore Night Music and actually have a huge softspot for the film soundtrack (so much so that whenever I see the soundtrack vinyl used--which is a surprising lot considering the movie was a flop with barely any distribution--I pick it up in case one of my copies gets damaged).

The cast from the stage (Guittard and especially Cariou) are tighter and more comofrtable than on the OBCR, Tunick's conducting is a bit crisper, his updated orchestrations (particularly the added strings to Diana Rigg's unsurpassed Everyday a Little Death) are gorgeous, even small cuts (restructuring the opening song order to Now/Soon/Later, making Henrich now sing in a different key--oh and called Erick of course :P) work for me. But I do really miss ALL the cut songs so it would never fully replaced the OBCR in my heart (and I know fww others share my love for the soundtrack though most love the film Glamorous Life)

As for the film itself...I'm glad it's coming to DVD. I can't defend it as much as thte actual soundtrack but there is a huge thread on it here from last month when the dvd was announced--and I'm one of those who largely likes it a lot even if I admit much of the direction and some segments fall very flat (but some, liek Weekend in the Country work magnificently)

[Unknown User]

Posted: 4/24/07 at 6:42pm

Found the Night Music DVD thread (it's titled Mame so you might have missed it)
https://forum.broadwayworld.com/readmessage.cfm?boardname=bway&thread=927600#2948016

[Raviolisun]

Posted: 4/24/07 at 7:12pm

I love the Passion OCR. It takes some work to get into, but Donna Murphy is amazing.